Carpets which are resistant to staining by common food dyes are currently in high demand. In order to be stain-resistant, nylon carpets must either be treated with a stain-resist chemical or the nylon fibers must have a stain-resist agent incorporated within the polymer.
However, carpets made from polyester fibers have the benefit of the natural stain-resistant properties of polyester. Polyester carpets are commonly made from filaments of poly(ethylene terephthalate). These carpets may have poor crush resistance (also called pile height retention) and poor texture retention (i.e., the yarns in the tuft tips unravel with wear). Carpets may develop a matted appearance in areas of high foot traffic.
Polyester carpets have also been made from filaments of poly(butylene terephthalate). While these carpets may have improved resistance to crushing vs. carpets of poly(ethylene terephthalate), the carpets may exhibit poor initial texture and poor texture retention.
It would therefore be useful to have a polyester carpet which has natural, built-in stain-resistance and, at the same time, adequate texture retention and resistance to crushing.